About the Victoria Inn Colchester
The history of the Victoria Inn Colchester stretches back to the mid-19th century. The site was established during the 1850s and was operating as a public house by the 1870s, first appearing in the licensing records in 1872. An application for a full licence was made at the 1859 licensing sessions, though this was refused. The first recorded publican was George Crimwood, who was living at the Inn with his family in 1861.
Its development coincided with the expansion of the railway following the arrival of Colchester North Station in 1843, when North Station Road became an important route for trade and travellers and the surrounding district began to grow.
The building itself dates from the 17th century and has served as a pub for more than 150 years. It was saved from demolition during redevelopment in the 1970s, preserving its place on North Station Road.
The Victoria was purchased by the Colchester Brewing Company in 1885 and later became part of Ind Coope in the 1930s as brewing ownership consolidated.
From 2012 onwards, the focus has been firmly on real ale, real cider and live events. The pub is listed in the Good Beer Guide and has received recognition from CAMRA at branch and county level.
Since 2022, the Victoria Inn has been run by Richard Taylor, who has continued that focus on beer quality and live music.
